Blueberry plant called &#39;springhigh&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct low-chill southern highbush ( Vaccinium corymbosum ) cultivar. Its novelty lies in the following unique combination of features: 
       1 . Has a low chilling requirement.      2 . Has a vigorous, upright bush.      3 . Produces large berries with small, dry picking scar and good finnness, flavor and texture.      4 . Ripens its crop early in the season, with most of the harvest in northeast Florida coming between April 15 and May 10.

2. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

3. STATEMENTS REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

None.

4. LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Vaccinium corymbosum L.

5. VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Springhigh’.

6. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Southern highbush blueberries are a domesticated form of Vacciniumcorymbosum which were bred by lowering the chilling requirement ofnorthern highbush blueberries, which were first domesticated in NewJersey between 1910 and 1930. Northern highbush blueberry varietiesrequire a minimum of 1000 hours below 7° C. per winter to stimulateopening of the flower and leaf buds in the spring. In the eastern UnitedStates, this limits their cultivation to areas that have winters atleast as cold as those typical of the coastal plain of North Carolinaaround Wilmington. Due to low temperatures from February through April,blueberries in this area do not ripen before mid-May. In the southernhemisphere, northern highbush varieties do not ripen beforemid-November. The principal utility of southern highbush blueberries isthat their low chilling requirement, achieved through breeding, allowsthem to be grown in areas where warm temperatures in late winter andearly spring permit flowering in early February and ripening in Apriland early May in the northern hemisphere and flowering in early Augustand ripening in October and early November in the southern hemisphere.Thus, southern highbush blueberries extend the season of availability offresh blueberries by a period of about 6 weeks in each hemisphere andcontribute to the year-round availability of blueberries on the freshmarket. Because southern highbush blueberries are relatively new,additional varieties are needed that have higher yields, varying datesof maturity, and adaptation to various production areas.

‘Springhigh’ was developed by the University of Florida in its southernhighbush blueberry-breeding program. The seedling that became‘Springhigh’ came from the cross FL91-226 (unpatented)×‘Southmoon’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 9,834), which was made in a greenhouse in March 1993. Theseedling was transplanted to a field nursery in May 1994. It fruited andwas evaluated in the spring of 1995 and 1996 and was propagated bysoftwood cuttings in June 1996. A test plot of 24 rooted cuttings wasplanted on a commercial blueberry farm at Windsor, Fla. in January 1997.Three additional plots, each with 50 plants or more were planted atWindsor and a 200-plant plot was planted at Archer, Fla. The youngest ofthese plots had their second berry crop in the spring of 2003. Theprincipal attractive features of the clone are its strong, upright bushand its early fruit ripening.

7. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Springhigh’ is a new southern highbush variety that has the followingunique combination of characteristics that set it apart from otherblueberry cultivars.

a. Ripens very early, with the first 50% of the berries ripe betweenApril 18 and April 25 at Windsor, Fla. This average is 9 days earlierthan the mean for ‘Star’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,675), ‘Windsor’ (U.S.Plant Pat. No. 12,783), ‘Millennia’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,816),‘Emerald’ (U.S. Plant. Pat. No. 12,165), and ‘Jewel’ (U.S. Pat. No.11,807).

b. Produces a strong, upright bush.

c. Has a chilling requirement of 200 to 300 hours below 7° C.

d. Berries large; first ripe berries average 3.0 g.

e. Berries have high firmness and a dry picking scar.

f. ‘Springhigh differs from its parents in many details, as would beexpected for a seedling from a cross between two highly heterozygousclones. Compared to parent FL91-226, ‘Springhigh’ has a more uprightbush habit and produces a much larger berry with better berry firmness.Compared to parent ‘Southmoon’, ‘Springhigh’ ripens 3 weeks earlier, hasmuch better resistance to phytophthora root rot, and produces a largerberry with a somewhat darker berry color.

8. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The color chart used in this specification is “The Pantone Book ofColor”, by Leatrice Eiseman and Lawrence Herbert. 1990. Harry N. Abrams,Inc., Publishers, N.Y. Where colors in the drawings differ from thePantone color designations in the verbal descriptions, the Pantone colordesignations are the more accurate.

FIG. 1 shows flower clusters of ‘Springhigh’ during February on youngplants that were maintained evergreen in a greenhouse. This environmentelongates the peduncles compared to what would be seen on field-grownplants that have been chilled before flowering. The white corollas andurceolate flowers are typical.

FIG. 2 shows a row of 4-year old plants in May after harvest. The plantsare about 2 m tall. The upright growth habit and dark green leaves arecharacteristic.

FIG. 3 shows at close range a cluster of berries in early May on afield-grown plant. The dark green leaves and rather dark berries aretypical.

FIG. 4 shows, at close range, the mature berries. The rather undevelopedcalyx lobes can be seen in the two columns at the left and the medium tosmall picking scar can be seen in the column at the right.

9. DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Market class: ‘Springhigh’ produces southern highbush blueberries    suitable for both the fresh and processed fruit markets.-   Bush: Plant characteristics were measured on 6-year-old plants in a    commercial field at Windsor in north Florida. The field had been    irrigated, pruned, and managed according to recommended procedures    for commercial blueberry farms in north Florida.-   Plant height: 2.2 m.-   Canopy diameter measured at widest part of the bush: 1.5 m.-   Plant vigor: High. Equal to ‘Millennia’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,816)    and ‘Emerald’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,165) and more vigorous than    ‘tar’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,675).-   Growth habit: Upright, with multiple upright canes from the base.-   Flower bud density (number) along flowering twigs in January: High.-   Twigginess: Low.-   Trunk and branches:-   Suckering tendency: Medium to low. Six to 10 major canes arising    from a base 30 cm in diameter on 6-year-old plants.-   Surface texture of strong, 6-month-old shoots observed August 18:    Smooth.-   Surface texture of strong, 1-year-old shoots observed August 18:    Becoming rough as vertical cracks appear in the smooth stem and    rough, corky bark fills the cracks.-   Surface texture of 3-year-old and older wood surface: Rough, but    periodically exfoliating to for a relatively smooth exterior.-   Color of 6-month-old wood observed August 18: ‘Hay’ (Pantone    12-0418).-   Color of 1-year-old rough bark observed August 18: ‘Sand’ (Pantone    15-1225).-   Color of 3-year-old rough-textured canes. ‘Pebble’ (Pantone    14-1112).-   Internode length on strong, upright shoots measured August 18: 2.0    cm.-   Leaves:-   Leaf length including petiole, from tip of petiole to end of blade:    Mean 68 mm.-   Leaf width at widest point: Mean 36 cm.-   Leaf shape: Oval. Midrib terminates in a dew tip, which is about 0.4    mm long, visible under 15× microscope.-   Leaf margin: Entire, but with a few sessile glands.-   Color of upper surface of leaves: ‘Avocado’ (Pantone 18-0430).-   Color of lower surface of leaves: ‘Cedar’ (Pantone 16-0526).-   Pubescence on upper surface of leaves: Variable from leaf to leaf    but most leaves have short, white hairs on the midrib and major    veins.-   Pubescence on lower surface of leaves: Most leaves are densely    hirsute, with short, white, curved hairs along the midrib and major    veins.-   Pubescence on leaf margins: None.-   Relative time of leafing and flowering: Under normal spring    conditions, the plants flower and begin to produce new leaves at    about the same time.-   Flowers:-   Flower arrangement: Flowers arranged alternately along a short,    leafless, deciduous branch.-   Flower fragrance: None.-   Pedicel length at time of anthesis: 3 mm.-   Peduncle length at time of anthesis: Variable; averages about 10 mm.-   Petals: Fused into a corolla tube with 5 lobes.-   Pollen staining: Approximately 99% of the pollen grains stain with    acetocarmine dye, indicating that a high percentage of the pollen    grains are well formed, starch filled, and potentially viable.-   Pollen abundance: Dried flowers shed pollen in abundance.-   Pollen color: ‘Golden rod’, Pantone 14-0951.-   Flower type: Perfect, ovary inferior, petals fused into a corolla    tube, the 10 stamens inserted at the base of the corolla tube.-   Flower length from pedicel attachment point to corolla tip: 10 mm.-   Length of corolla tube: 8 mm.-   Style length from top of ovary to stigma tip: 8.5 mm.-   Calyx diameter at anthesis from tip of one lobe to tip of the    opposite lobe: 6 mm.-   Diameter of corolla tube at widest point: 9 mm.-   Corolla aperture diameter: 3.5 mm.-   Corolla surface texture: Smooth.-   Flower shape: Urceolate.-   Corolla color at anthesis: White — the color of the unprinted spaces    in the Pantone Book of Color.-   Style color at anthesis: ‘Bright chartreuse’, Pantone 14-0445.-   Pedicel and peduncle color: ‘Moss’, Pantone 16-0532.-   Flowering period: Average date when the first 50% of the flowers    open at Gainesville, Fla. is February 16. This compares with the    following dates for some other varieties: ‘Emerald (U.S. Plant Pat.    No. 12,165): February 20; ‘Jewel’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,807):    February 20; Millennia (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,816): February 19;    Star (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,675): March 2.-   Flower cluster (tight, medium, or open): Medium.-   Average number of flowers per cluster: 10.-   Location of tip of stigma relative to the lip of the corolla: The    tip of the stigma extends equally far as the tips of the corolla    lobes.-   Distance between the stigma tip and the part of the anther pore    nearest the stigma tip: 2.5 mm.-   Berry:-   Mean date of first commercial harvest (25% of fruit ripe) at    Windsor, Fla.: April 16.-   Mean date of last commercial harvest: May 15.-   Diameter of calyx aperture on mature berry: Mean 6.4 mm.-   Calyx lobes on mature berry: size and shape. Not well developed.    Inconspicuous and pressed flat against the surface of the berry.-   Berry cluster: (tight, medium, or loose). Medium to loose.-   Pedicel length on ripe berry: 4.6 mm.-   Peduncle length at the time berries are ripe: Mean 13 mm but quite    variable from cluster to cluster.-   Number of ripe berries per cluster: Mean 4.-   Mean berry weight on well-pruned plants: 3.0 g.-   Mean berry height: 14.3 mm.-   Mean berry width: 17.6 mm.-   Surface color of ripe berry while on plant: ‘Pewter’ (Pantone    18-5203).-   Surface color of ripe berry after harvest and packing: ‘Shale’    (Pantone 19-3903).-   Surface color or ripe berry after polishing: Shiny black.-   Internal flesh color of ripe berry: ‘Overcast’ (Pantone 14-0105).-   Berry surface wax: Sparse to medium in abundance and easily removed    by handling.-   Berry pedicel scar: Small and dry.-   Berry firmness: High.-   Berry flavor: Sweet, low acid.-   Berry texture: Good: small seeds, very juicy, thin skin.-   Color of dried seeds: ‘Hazel’ (Pantone 17-1143).-   Weight of well-developed dried seeds: 0.46 mg.-   Length of well-developed, dried seeds: 1.7 mm.-   Width of well developed, dried seeds: 1.0 mm.-   Physiological characteristics:-   Chilling requirement: 200 to 300 hours below 7° C.-   Cold hardiness: Flowers and fruit hardy to −30 C. The plant, during    winter dormancy is hardy to −15° C.-   Productivity: In northeast Florida, ‘Springhigh’ produces about 5    pounds of berries per bush on plants 4 years old and older.-   Ease of propagation: ‘Springhigh’ is easy to propagate from softwood    cuttings. Several hundred plants have been propagated by this method    in Gainesville, Fla., and all are typical of the variety.-   Resistance to diseases, insects, mites:-   Phytophthora root rot: High.-   Stem blight (Botryosphaeria dothidea): High.-   Cane canker (Botryosphaeria corticis): High.-   Fungal leaf spots: Above average resistance for southern highbush    blueberry. Fungicidal control of leaf diseases will probably be    needed in commercial plantations in areas with humid summers where    the pathogens are present.-   Overall survival in the field: Good. The plant appears to survive    better in the field than most other southern highbush varieties    grown in Florida.

1. A new and distinct southern highbush blueberry plant, substantiallyas illustrated and described, characterized by having a vigorous,upright, durable bush that produces large berries that ripen very earlyin the season.